Colombia has made significant progress in expanding electricity coverage nationwide; however, non-interconnected zones (ZNI)—remote and rural areas not connected to the national grid—continue to face limited or unreliable access to electricity. These regions, often characterized by difficult geographical conditions and dispersed populations, rely primarily on diesel-based generation, which is costly, environmentally unsustainable, and subject to fuel supply challenges. 

In Colombia, the Constitution and laws declares electricity an essential public service of general interest to the state. As a result, expanding the coverage of this service must incorporate government programs that take into account the country's energy sources, generation technologies, and the specific conditions of each locality. The UPME, as the planning authority for the electricity system and the entity responsible for proposing coverage plans, has identified a significant opportunity for Colombia to harness its energy resources to extend public electricity service coverage—especially in regions with geographic, economic, and access challenges that separate them from major population centers. 

These regions are often located in remote areas, where geographic and economic barriers make it difficult to connect to the existing electrical grid. In this context, small-scale hydropower generation integrated in a local micro-grid, presents a key alternative for electrifying homes in such areas. Despite the hydropower potential identified in Colombia, the planning and implementation of these systems face technical, financial, and regulatory challenges. Therefore, it is essential to conduct studies to develop cost-assessment methodologies, applicable regulatory frameworks, analyses of exploitable potential, and evaluations of available technologies. These efforts will facilitate the feasibility assessment of such projects from technical, environmental, social and economic perspectives. 

Given Colombia’s abundant water resources and diverse hydrological conditions, small-scale hydropower in micro-grids presents a sustainable, cost-effective, and scalable alternative for rural electrification.  

Colombia has made significant progress in expanding electricity coverage nationwide; however, non-interconnected zones (ZNI)—remote and rural areas not connected to the national grid—continue to face limited or unreliable access to electricity. These regions, often characterized by difficult geographical conditions and dispersed populations, rely primarily on diesel-based generation, which is costly, environmentally unsustainable, and subject to fuel supply challenges.

In Colombia, the Constitution and laws declares electricity an essential public service of general interest to the state. As a result, expanding the coverage of this service must incorporate government programs that take into account the country's energy sources, generation technologies, and the specific conditions of each locality. The UPME, as the planning authority for the electricity system and the entity responsible for proposing coverage plans, has identified a significant opportunity for Colombia to harness its energy resources to extend public electricity service coverage—especially in regions with geographic, economic, and access challenges that separate them from major population centers.

These regions are often located in remote areas, where geographic and economic barriers make it difficult to connect to the existing electrical grid. In this context, small-scale hydropower generation integrated in a local micro-grid, presents a key alternative for electrifying homes in such areas. Despite the hydropower potential identified in Colombia, the planning and implementation of these systems face technical, financial, and regulatory challenges. Therefore, it is essential to conduct studies to develop cost-assessment methodologies, applicable regulatory frameworks, analyses of exploitable potential, and evaluations of available technologies. These efforts will facilitate the feasibility assessment of such projects from technical, environmental, social and economic perspectives.

Given Colombia’s abundant water resources and diverse hydrological conditions, small-scale hydropower in micro-grids presents a sustainable, cost-effective, and scalable alternative for rural electrification.